Work right on schedule for Helias Catholic H.S. expansion

Our opportunities grow as the school does, and being able to do the things you love right at the school you love makes you feel so much more connected to the school and its message of excellence.”

Norah Wolters, a student at Helias Catholic High School

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Students of Helias Catholic High School in Jefferson City joyfully await being the first to use the new facilities that are rising up all around them.

Among these are a state-of-the-art performing arts center, a fully equipped baseball/softball complex, expanded training facilities at the Rackers Fieldhouse, additional parking, and an outdoor prayer garden.

“Telling my kids and grandkids that I was the first senior class that got to use the theater and perform in it and maybe coming back and watching future performances and future games in the new facilities will be really cool,” said sophomore Beck Truesdale, who participates in the school’s spring musical productions and helps direct musicals at St. Peter School.

“It’s really cool to watch it evolve and all of the different parts come together,” said freshman Norah Wolters.

“It’s a big family school, so watching future generations and saying you were the first to be part of that would be a really cool experience, and I think all of this will be a great for the school,” said Norah, who is active in the school choir and spring musical productions.

A year and three months into Helias Catholic’s Spirit of Excellence capital campaign (heliascatholic.com/spiritofexcellence), the progress on fundraising and construction has been astounding.

The campaign is about $2 million away from reaching its $30 million goal for new and expanded facilities.

The southern half of the school’s campus has undergone a tectonic transformation as the new facilities begin to take shape.

The campaign’s organizers are asking members of the school community, the greater Jefferson City community and local businesses who have not already done so to consider making a pledge, “to help get this campaign over the finish line,” said Ron Vossen, president of Helias Catholic.

“At this time, we’re needing just a little under $2 million to meet our goal,” he stated.

School and diocesan officials, including Bishop W. Shawn McKnight, kicked off the Spirit of Excellence campaign in February 2024.

The project is an estimated investment in the future of Helias Catholic.

Of that, $16 million was secured between gifts made to the school’s previous Rooted in Faith, Building on Excellence campaign intended for these projects and generous private donor commitments.

The Spirit of Excellence campaign intends to raise a total of $14 million between new donations and committed support up to $7 million from The Foundation for the Benefit of Helias Catholic High School.

There is $1.9 million left to raise of that $14 million between community donations and the foundation’s contribution.

“We’ve really broadened our appeal to different ages,” said Mr. Vossen. “Part of our message is: Your children and your children’s children will be using these facilities and this completed campus for years to come.”

Sophomore Drew Heislen is excited about getting to practice and play baseball a few steps from where spends his day in class.

“Every day, we drive to American Legion Field, which is an awesome complex,” he stated. “But it will be really nice to have everything here at school, where it brings our community closer together.”

Sophomore Harper Sherry, who plays softball, agrees.

“It will be a lot easier to get to practice, and it will be more accessible to go to games right here instead of across town,” she said.

Junior Alex Wieberg is a member of the wrestling team and takes part in spring musicals. He said the school currently has two separate rooms for wrestling, so the varsity and junior varsity teams must practice apart from each other.

“The emphasis on community is very big here,” he noted. “Having one big room will allow us to practice together and keep the J.V. guys up to date with some of the techniques, making our team better as a whole, along with that bonding that’s such an important part of our success.”

For freshman Logan Dunn, a member of the archery team, the Rackers Fieldhouse expansion will mean having a set time for practice.

Archery programs have been growing in popularity over the past several years, both in Catholic grade schools and Catholic high schools.

“Sometimes, we get bumped out of the gyms,” said Logan. “That won’t happen when we have room for everything.”

Work in progress

Mr. Vossen looked out his office windows at the three big construction projects taking place all around him.

“We’re completing our master plan, and now is the time to do it all,” he said. “Not to mention, we’ll have more parking for our students, staff and the people who will use these facilities.”

Construction workers with bright yellow vests were finishing the foundation walls for the Performing Arts Center stage.

Lights and floors were being installed in the Rackers Fieldhouse expansion, with the elevator shaft work soon to follow.

A large retaining wall for the baseball/softball complex had been built, and the next phases that depend on that wall were progressing.

“It’s moving right along,” said Mr. Vossen. “It’s going like clockwork, really. They’re making a lot of good progress.”

The Fieldhouse addition is on target to be ready this upcoming fall.

“There will be some updates with the other parts of the Fieldhouse the following summer, after we get in and start moving a few things around,” he said.

The Performing Arts Center is expected to be completed by December 2026, with the school hosting its first Spring Musical there in March of 2027.

“That’s still right on schedule,” said Mr. Vossen.

An outdoor corner made accessible by the site’s reconfiguration will become a prayer garden containing an altar, a crucifix and room for 30 to 40 people.

“So, our students will be able to come out during the day for class, to offer things up in prayer,” said Mr. Vossen. “Or if they want to have a prayer before a game or anything like that, then they’ll be able to use the prayer garden for that.”

All together

The updated facilities are intended for use by current and future Helias Catholic students, both while they’re in high school and while they’re in still parochial grade schools.

Current Helias Catholic students are close to beholding what those who came before them could only dream of.

“Our opportunities grow as the school does, and being able to do the things you love right at the school you love makes you feel so much more connected to the school and its message of excellence,” said Norah.

She enjoys taking part in Spring Musicals and choral performances at the Miller Performing Arts Center several miles away from school, “but having it all here, and having local grade schools do their productions here, brings it all closer and helps build up the community,” she said.

Beck said having the Performing Arts Center on campus will make scheduling rehearsals easier and give everyone at the school a view into the process of creating a student production.

“It will also allow assemblies and Masses to be a lot more comfortable for the students and overall a much better experience,” he said.

Beck said making a donation to the Spirit of Excellence campaign will help improve the everyday experience for everyone who goes to Helias Catholic.

Norah said having all student activities on campus will increase safety, enhance school unity and show that all extracurricular activities are valued and supported.

“It will really complete the Helias campus and have all of it in one spot, and we won’t be racing out of the parking lot to get across town to be at different events on time,” said Harper.

In God’s hands

Father Paul Clark, the school’s chaplain, blessed the construction in February of this year.

The prayers continue.

“We need to pray for the construction workers, for everything to go well and happen in a timely manner and for everyone to stay safe while working on the future of the Helias campus,” said Beck.

“And for continual communal support, from the city and for all the events here to go well and for everyone to enjoy them,” said Norah.

“For good weather and for no external factors that might slow down the construction process,” said Alex.

“And that everything goes safely and well in the future for all the events we’ll be hosting,” said Drew.

heliascatholic.com/spiritofexcellence